Wreaths donated for graves of fallen service men and women

Published 5:50 pm, Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Henry Lepri and Angel Ortiz, both veterans and employees of Sikorsky Aircraft, carry wreaths to be presented during a ceremony in honor of Wreaths Across America at the Sikorsky Aircraft facility in Bridgeport, Conn. Wednesday, Dec. 9th, 2009. A Wreaths Across America convoy carrying 16,000 wreaths from Maine stopped at Sikorsky, on the way to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where the wreaths will be placed on the grave of fallen soldiers. less

Henry Lepri and Angel Ortiz, both veterans and employees of Sikorsky Aircraft, carry wreaths to be presented during a ceremony in honor of Wreaths Across America at the Sikorsky Aircraft facility in Bridgeport, ... more

Carmen Cotto, a 6th grader from Hall Elementary School in Bridgeport, stands at attention with her classmates during a ceremony in honor of Wreaths Across America at the Sikorsky Aircraft facility in Bridgeport, Conn. Wednesday, Dec. 9th, 2009. A Wreaths Across America convoy carrying 16,000 wreaths from Maine stopped at Sikorsky, on the way to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where the wreaths will be placed on the grave of fallen soldiers. less

Carmen Cotto, a 6th grader from Hall Elementary School in Bridgeport, stands at attention with her classmates during a ceremony in honor of Wreaths Across America at the Sikorsky Aircraft facility in ... more

An escort of patriotic cars and motorcycles lead a convoy of trucks from Wreaths Across America into the Sikorsky Aircraft facility in Bridgeport, Conn. Wednesday, Dec. 9th, 2009. The trucks are carrying 16,000 wreaths from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where the wreaths will be placed on the graves of fallen soldiers. less

An escort of patriotic cars and motorcycles lead a convoy of trucks from Wreaths Across America into the Sikorsky Aircraft facility in Bridgeport, Conn. Wednesday, Dec. 9th, 2009. The trucks are carrying 16,000 ... more

An escort of patriotic cars and motorcycles lead a convoy of trucks from Wreaths Across America into the Sikorsky Aircraft facility in Bridgeport, Conn. Wednesday, Dec. 9th, 2009. The trucks are carrying 16,000 wreaths from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where the wreaths will be placed on the graves of fallen soldiers. less

An escort of patriotic cars and motorcycles lead a convoy of trucks from Wreaths Across America into the Sikorsky Aircraft facility in Bridgeport, Conn. Wednesday, Dec. 9th, 2009. The trucks are carrying 16,000 ... more

BRIDGEPORT -- Although they collected more than 500 wreaths for the graves of the nation's fallen heroes, Sikorsky Aircraft employees and members of the American Gold Star Mothers didn't actually need the wreaths to honor the memory of the military men and women who died in service.

The groups, joined by city and state officials, staged a ceremony Wednesday to mark donation of over 500 wreaths for the national non-profit, Wreaths Across America, which promotes a holiday season tribute to those who served by laying wreaths on their graves.

But four large trucks carrying thousands of wreaths destined for Arlington National Ceremony outside Washington, D.C., never made it to the local ceremony. The trucks made it as far as the Homes for the Brave, a transitional housing facility for veterans near the corner of Park and South avenues, before they realized the vehicles were too tall to travel under the railroad tracks to Sikorsky's South Avenue plant.

Yet the Sikorsky employees made it clear the ceremony was to honor service men and women, not wreaths.

"It's important that we honor those who were lost and have served our country," said American Gold Star Mother Kathryn Cross, who emceed the hour-long ceremony. "It is more important to let them know that they are appreciated and they will not be forgotten."

Mayor Bill Finch said laying wreaths on service personnel's graves is a great way for people in the region to "never, ever forget" the sacrifices and service of the nation's troops.

State Comptroller Nancy Wyman, who called herself the state's "numbers person," stayed true to that description by providing statistics on the number of fallen heroes in the state. She said 612 Connecticut people were killed in Vietnam, 312 in Korea and 46 in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Today, we pay tribute to them and to all their families," she said.

Wyman also noted that 300,000 soldiers are buried in the Arlington cemetery. That "staggering number," Wyman said, should inspire everyone to commit to Wreaths Across America's message to "Remember the fallen; honor those who serve; and teach our children the value of freedom."

Wyman said approximately 16,000 wreaths are set to reach Arlington by noon Saturday where they will be laid on the graves of fallen heroes. At the same time, the Sikorsky group and organizations throughout the nation will also lay wreaths on the graves of service men and women in their home regions.

The public is invited to participate in the three area wreath-laying ceremonies to be held in St. Michael's and Union cemeteries in Stratford and Kings Highway Cemetery in Milford.

Sharon Evon, a member of the fallen heroes group, said it plans to support Wreaths Across America every year. Although the group usually holds regular events to pay tribute to the state's fallen heroes this was its first time joining the wreaths project.

Henry Lepri, a Shelton resident and Vietnam veteran, said he lost five high school friends in Vietnam and knows several veterans now buried at the Kings Highway Cemetery in Milford. Lepri, an employee at Sikorsky for 30 years, said the wreath ceremony would also serve as a way to let today's service personnel know that "we're here to support them."